Investment Advice

by Aaron Hecht

EDITOR'S NOTE: Aaron Hecht is a freelance writer living in Israel and a contributor to the Jerusalem Post Christian Edition. CSWI welcomes the addition of Mr. Hecht to its literary panel, and fully endorses the content of the article found below.

November 23, 2008 - The crisis facing the worlds economy just seems to be getting worse and worse. I have a few thoughts on this subject, and here they are, for what they're worth.

1) This will not remain solely an economic crisis. This will very
quickly become a political and social crisis. There have already been
food riots in several countries by desperate, starving people. In the
very near future, because of crop failures, religious tensions and the
continuing financial crisis, there are going to be much larger and
more dangerous socio-political disturbances all over the world,
including in the West.

2) As bad as things are now financially, there is the potential for
things to get catastrophically worse. If the US Federal Government
ever defaults on its debt (which it seems inevitable that this will
happen someday) then what we're seeing in the global banking industry
in these last few months will look like a day at the beach. If there
is another serious crisis, like a major hurricane, earthquake,
terrorist attacks or a large outbreak of flu or other infectious
disease, the governments of the world will be to overwhelmed to deal
with it effectively.

3) This isn't just a recession. This is the end of an Era in human
history. Things will never be the same for anyone anywhere. The sooner
you get your head around that fact, the better for you and everyone
who depends on you.

4) It is during times of severe economic and political instability
that despots and tyrants find it the easiest to subvert and destroy
democratic governments. Because the people are hungry, desperate and
frightened, they are most likely at times like this to be willing to
trade their freedom for security. This has already happened in Russia,
which had a brief flirtation with democracy and is now almost
completely all the way back to being a dictatorship.

5) There is only one safe place to invest, and that's to put your
money, your time and your efforts into the Kingdom of God.

Some of you might be tempted to neglect your prayer and Bible study
time, stop attending church and concentrate as much as you can on your
job so you can earn the money you think you need to maintain your
lifestyle.

That is exactly the wrong thing to do.

Your lifestyle is over!

It's time to get serious about Eternity. Actually it's long past time,
but that's why God is allowing all these things to happen. He's trying
to get our attention, trying to get us to let go of all our idols and
focus on Him. We should be grateful for His mercy and love in doing
this.

How does one go about investing in the Kingdom?

First, find a church that teaches sound Biblical doctrine and give
that church as much of your time, money and effort as possible.
Involve your entire family in this process, so that the time you spend
with your church is also time you spend with them. Follow the example
of Jesus and forgive anyone in your family or at your church who has
ever hurt you. It is only by first getting rid of all the bitterness
in your heart that you can start to build something positive for the
future.

Get involved with the other people in your church and help each other.
Share whatever you have with everyone who needs it. Do with as little
as you personally can, so that as many others as possible can have
what they need. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find out how easy
and gratifying this is, and how much that you think you need that
actually you don't.

As Jesus said in Matthew 5:42, "Give to him who asks of you, and do
not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." And Paul
exhorted us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Every man according as he purposes
in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for
God loves a cheerful giver."

Every penny that you give to God and the work of His Kingdom will be
returned to you, with interest, in this life and in the next life. So
don't be stingy or greedy. This life will end someday and you'll have
to stand before God and the only thing you'll have is what you gave to
Him.

How else can you invest your time in the Kingdom?

Pray!

Buy a notebook and write in it the names of every single person you
love, and every day at least once, go through that list of names and
ask God to protect those people physically and to bring them to
spiritual salvation. Prayer time should also be together with your
family. The family that prays together stays together.

Pray for the political, economic and spiritual leaders in your
community and your country. Pray for your pastor and his family. Pray
for revival worldwide. Pray for God to take out all the anger,
bitterness, despair and rage in your own heart and replace it with the
freedom, confidence and joy which comes from His love.

But most of all, pray for Israel and the Jews.

Why?

Israel and the Jews are not just a nation-state like France or Japan.

The Jews are Gods chosen people, the group of people that He in His
sovereign wisdom designated to be His representatives on this earth,
and through whom he has used throughout history and even until this
very minute, to work out His Plan and Purpose for the entire Human
Race.

The country of Israel is not just a piece of real estate governed and
controlled by a certain government unit. It is the Embassy of the
Kingdom of God on planet earth. It is the physical manifestation of
the Kingdom.

As God said in 1 Kings 11:36 ;

"And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may
have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have
chosen me to put my name there."

Jerusalem, the political capital of the State of Israel, is also the
only city in the world where God, the ruler over all the Universe, has
chosen to put His NAME, His throne, to be the capital of His Kingdom.
It is a capital in every sense of the word, physical, spiritual and
political.

That is why the country of Israel is so maligned and hated in this
world, and why it is under constant and never ending attack, not only
the physical attacks of missiles and suicide bombers, but the verbal
attacks on university campuses, newspapers, and governments all over
the world.

These people don't hate Israel and the Jews, they hate God. But they
can't get at Him, so they attack His embassy and His ambassadors on
this earth.

As the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places."

The main reason things are so rough in Israel is not because Hizbollah
has 40,000 missiles in South Lebanon. It's not because the Palestinian
terrorist/mafia groups ship thousands of tons of narcotics into Israel
every year, and use the money to finance their terror operations. It's
not because the governments of Iran, Syria and other Arab countries
are arming themselves to the teeth and backing terrorist groups who
wage a constant, low intensity (but high cost) conflict with Israel.
It's not because of anything the ironically named Non-Aligned movement
does at the United Nations, or because of the Arab boycott against
Israel which they only harm themselves by maintaining. It's not
because of the anti-Israel sentiment at the British Foreign Office or
the US State Department.

All of those things can and have been overcome by Israel.

Things are rough in Israel because there are almost a billion Muslims
on this planet who pray five times a day, and a lot of them are
praying for Israel to be destroyed.

The war against Israel and the Jews is not just a war fought with
tanks and missiles on the battlefield, it is a war fought with prayer
and fasting and the weapons of the spirit on the spiritual
battlefield.

The War against you and your family that Satan the Devil and his
demons are fighting every day, to cause problems in your marriage, to
cause problems at your job, to cause problems with your church, and to
rob you of the time and energy to deal with those problems, are also
being fought on the spiritual battlefield.

That is why we, the Believers, need to be fighting back.

In 2 Timothy 1:3 the Apostle Paul said; "I thank God, whom I serve
with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly
remember you in my prayers night and day."

Paul was praying night and day for the Body of Believers and the
people he loved. We must follow his example.

In 1 Samuel 12:23 the Prophet Samuel, speaking to the People of
Israel, said "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin
against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you
in the good and right way. "

Samuel considered it to be a sin against the Lord to cease praying for
Israel. We must follow his example.

Finally, in Matthew 5: 43-44 our Lord Jesus Himself said "But I say to
you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that
you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun
to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and
the unrighteous."

The lesson I take from this is that we need to be praying for the
Muslims, for the Atheists, for the pagans, and for all those who are
unsaved. Pray for the United Nations, and the anti-Israel NGO's etc.
Pray that God will replace the anger and hatred they have in their
hearts with love for Him and His plan and for His people and His
Nation.

The only way that there is ever going to be peace in the Middle East
is when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, is living in the hearts of
those who currently hate Israel so much. It is only by replacing the
hatred in their hearts with love, and thus winning the spiritual war
in the heavenly places, that we can have any hope of peace, and
respite from the physical war on the battlefield.

The only way there is ever going to be peace in your life and the
lives of your family is when there is peace between you and God, and
when you've reconciled yourself to living for Him and serving Him and
His Kingdom and not yourself or your lifestyle.

There is much more, but that's why you have a Bible of your own.
You'll find the rest of what you need in its pages.

God bless you.

Encouragement for Perilous Times

by Dana Halliday

EDITOR'S NOTE: Dana Halliday is a highly regarded theological scholar and writer, as well as an educator in the US. CSWI welcomes the addition of Mrs. Halliday to its literary panel, and fully endorses the content of the article found below.

November 23, 2008 - The Church as we know it has come to a cross-roads. The Body of Christ is now being polarized, shaken to remove the chaff from the grain. Once upon a time, it was quite easy to go between churches and denominations, and while there were slight differences, the main Truth of the gospel could be found, and the main principles for living a Godly life. Now, the Body is broken over matters of great consequence...matters which should be the foundations of all who are in Christ. Many churches have departed to the wide road, teaching a very social gospel...teaching there are many roads to heaven, not just through Christ, or teaching there are many roads to Christ, not just through belief in His death, burial and resurrection. Other churches have resorted to appealing to the flesh to attract the numbers, while never once appealing to the soul...making us who are steeped in sin feel comfortable, never having to feel that desire or need to change ourselves, sending us happily on the road to hell, never feeling the need for a Savior. Subsequently, the Church as a majority has fallen asleep at the wheel...not feeling compelled to be the salt and light Christ calls us to be, desiring what the world has to offer rather than Heavenly riches.

When I was growing up as a child, I always listened with wonder to the scriptures concerning the last days and the rapture. I always wondered how the world could get to such a point, and I never dreamed I would see it in my lifetime. However, the signs are all around us now, and while I remain in a state of wonder, my eyes have been opened to the sheer urgency of our calling. What little time we have left!! And how sad that we are wasting it away over battles of basic morality and the gospel...fighting over matters of the bottle, when we should be discussing meat.

What are the signs of the times and the season? How do I recognize the lateness of the hour? Christ Himself spoke of the signs of the end times in Matthew 24. Here, it is important to understand the difference between the end times where the Church is the focus, and the Day of the Lord, where Israel is the focus. In this passage, Jesus spoke of both. His disciples had just asked him what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age.

"Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:4-14

From this point on, Jesus turns to speaking of the Tribulation end times...the Day of the Lord, when the Anti-Christ is revealed and God's wrath is poured out over mankind. However, the above verses are for us now.

We are told in these verses the signs of the times will be false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, nations and kingdoms divided and fighting, famines and earthquakes in various places, persecution of Christians, some to the point of death, hatred of Christianity, an apostate Church, false prophets, an increase of wickedness, and a lack of love. I can personally check off every one of these as having happened, or happening as we speak, with the ever-growing lukewarmness of the Church at the top of my list. One needs only to read the news headlines to see the fulfillment of the rest.

Paul also speaks of the end times before the Tribulation. In his second letter to Timothy Paul writes:

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." 2 Timothy 3:1-7

How many of us can truly stand and say we are not seeing these character traits in people now? Even in the Church? There has never been such a demanding, ungrateful, conceited wealth and power-hungry generation as there is now. And America seems to be the forerunner of such character traits. We are more concerned with our pocketbooks than with our moral decay. We get what we want, when we want it, without caring about the consequences, and when the consequences catch up to us, we believe we are entitled to someone solving all our problems for us, rather than learning from our own mistakes and fixing our own lives. We love pleasure above all else, and if anyone gets in the way of our pleasure, we dispose of them, using whatever means possible. A great many people have a form of godliness, yet deny its power. What is the power? It is the power of the resurrection...that death was conquered, and our sins are forgiven...power over Satan, our accuser. It is interesting to note who people with these character traits are able to deceive...weak-willed women, loaded down with sins (full of guilt, and never believing their sins can be forgiven), swayed by all kinds of evil desires, learning, yet never able to acknowledge the truth...that their sins have been paid for, and all they must do is believe. I believe women are the first to be deceived because of their strong attachment to emotion, and when guilt is in the mix, we can be quickly turned down the wrong path by those who appeal to our emotions rather than our reasoning, believing that it will eliminate our guilt, rather than turning to Christ, in Whom we find all our answers, and all our forgiveness.

I see all of these scriptures fulfilled daily, in my dealings with believers and non-believers alike, in my family, in my friendships, in the world... What are we to do? Are we supposed to cower in fear, knowing that our time is short? Are we supposed to fear the world? Or are we supposed to be so concentrated on heaven that we neglect those in the world? Are we supposed to stop doing our jobs and spreading the gospel, because we know our Lord's return is near?

The answer to that is a resounding no! We have a job to do Christians! We must never give up, and never stop, until our Lord calls us home. How do we know who we will touch in our daily lives? And how are we to know just how much time we have left? While we recognize the season, we cannot know the exact time. Likewise, we must never grow fearful or worry. God is in control! The evidence is in the fulfillment of scriptures! If these scriptures are being fulfilled, the others will follow.

In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, he sums up clearly how the Body of Christ should be during these times. We should always encourage each other with the reminder that Christ is coming back for us.

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." Thessalonians 4:16-18

He later writes again of the importance of the armor of God, of which he spoke of in great detail in Ephesians. Faith and love, righteousness should be our breastplate, and salvation our helmet. The belt of truth should be around our waist, our feet shod with the gospel of peace, holding onto the shield of faith, which we use to protect ourselves, and carrying the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We must be immersed in God's Word daily, memorizing and putting to heart scripture, be assured of our salvation, be strong in our faith, so that we can withstand Satan's attacks, show our love and faithfulness, the proof of our righteousness in Christ, and pray always for ourselves and each other. And above all, we must stand firm in our faith.

Keep looking up! Although we are most assuredly entering into perilous times, and the world is on a fast-track to fulfilling God's ultimate plan, we do not have an appointment with wrath. Be ever encouraged, and continue to spread the gospel, that others may have that assurance. We may be in the very presence of our Savior sooner than we all think! Be blessed!

Hindsight is 20/20

by Dana Halliday

EDITOR'S NOTE: Dana Halliday is a highly regarded theological scholar and writer, as well as an educator in the US. CSWI welcomes the addition of Mrs. Halliday to its literary panel, and fully endorses the content of the article found below.

November 9, 2008 - Hindsight is 20/20

What is this strong delusion going around our country? The delusion that all who say the name of Jesus are being truthful in their beliefs in Him.

I'm trying to come to grips with the outcome of the election. I know whatever happens is in God's hands...that He is the One in charge who puts leaders into position. But have we forgotten in our ego-centric ways that sometimes God puts leaders into position to bring nations down to their knees? Have we forgotten the saga of the Old Testament in which the nation of Israel continuously went through bouts of belief and disbelief...following the morality of God and following the immorality of man? God allowed Pharaoh to take His people captive because they began to turn his back on God, and call that which was sin, "not sin". When Israel turned her face once more to God, Pharaoh's grip on them was loosed, and they were set free. Have we forgotten the stories of Saul? Of Nebuchadnezzar? Of Belshazzar? Wicked Kings who God allowed to take control of His people for a time...because His people had turned their backs on God. Yet in the face of sin, there were still men like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who would not follow popular opinion, and God blessed those men. Even still, we cannot ignore the whole nation who claimed to follow God, yet turned away from His path.

We as a nation have turned our backs on God.

We have taken Christianity out of schools. Don't believe me? Have you ever tried to have a patriotic concert without saying the name of God for fear of being fired? That was the position my mentoring teacher was in while I was in my graduate year of college. She, along with all the other music teachers (both Christian and non-Christian) warned me emphatically to never mention God. Yet, as a student in middle school, I was forced to sit in a Hindu meditation position with the symbol of a Hindu god painted on my forehead as my teacher led our class in a prayer. As both a student and teacher, I have been subjected to other teachers whose mission is to prove Christianity is wrong...who allowed no questioning in their class and ridiculed and intimidated those who dared have a different opinion, even backed up by human logic and reason. If a Christian teacher acted in such a manner, they would be fired. I agree in both cases they should be fired. Why are Christians discriminated against?

We have become a nation of murderers and those who are guilty through inaction. Ever stop and consider the horrors of the Holocaust? Six million Jews brutally murdered, along with countless others...Christians, elderly, sick, disabled.... Six million!!! And yet, we have blood on our hands that far exceeds that number. 48,589,993 abortions have taken place in our country alone, according to the National Right to Life website. It's kind of sadistic to me to even think that we have this graph to look at showing the numbers. Can you imagine Germans during the Nazi era being presented a graph showing the yearly amount of Jews murdered? And people studying it without taking it to heart that every inch of color is a life snuffed out? Are there women who believe they have no other choice due to economics? I'm sure there are. That makes them no less guilty. There were plenty of Germans who believed they had no choice but to follow the rules laid out by Hitler's regime, mostly out of fear that they too would be murdered...still selfish. Inaction is an action. Who's to say what would come of someone actually having the guts to stand up for what's right? Everyone saw Schindler's List right? Or read the story of Corrie ten Boom? They weren't loved by the majority, but they saved lives, in the face of grave danger, even at the expense of their own lives. We've now put into office one who defends the choice to murder. And you think he's "in Christ"?

Read Hindsight is 20/20 in its entirety

"America must decrease so the Kingdom of Christ may increase"

by Aaron Hecht

EDITOR'S NOTE: Aaron Hecht is a freelance writer living in Israel and a contributor to the Jerusalem Post Christian Edition. CSWI welcomes the addition of Mr. Hecht to its literary panel, and fully endorses the content of the article found below.

November 9, 2008 - The election of Barack Hussein Obama to the Presidency of the United States has been met with joy and celebration by many people, including many professing Christians, all over the world.

I don't share in this joy.

I feel like I'm about the see the woman I've loved my whole life raped by my worst enemy who I know is infected with AIDS, and there's nothing I can do about it.

Maybe you feel the same way.

My thoughts are this.

Although I love America I do not consider myself a citizen of that country, or any other earthly kingdom. I consider myself a citizen of the Kingdom of Christ, and I'm privileged to live in Israel, which is the Embassy of that Kingdom here on this earth (the Rabbis' vehement denials of this notwithstanding.)

For many American Christians, the USA was a bit of an idol, which we worshipped six days a week and only forgot about for a short time on Sunday. We were so confused that we thought that part of being a good Christian was being a patriotic American. I myself was the most
guilty of this, along with other idols I worshiped, like guns and American military power. I worshiped them by loving them, putting my hope in them, and by trusting in them for my protection. It is time to get rid of those idols, and concentrate all our worship on the One
True God.

There will be no American Flags flying when Christ returns to this earth.

Another Idol we need to get rid of is the Republican Party. Many American Christians vote Republican, and there's nothing wrong with that. But when we start to think of it as the institution that can "save" us and when we devote an inordinate amount of time, money,
effort and energy to it, when we start to worry more about the health of the Republican Party then the health of the Body of Christ, then it becomes an idol.

The American people overwhelmingly rejected the Republican Party in this election, and the reasons are many. But one of the most often heard complaints about the Republican Party among the rank and file people who used to support it but no longer feel like they can is that
it is "too right wing and Christian." Among the largely secular leadership of the Party apparatus, there have long been murmurings about the "infernal nuisance" of all these "God people" who the Party needed for financial support and votes but whose Biblical Ideology the
"pragmatic, realistic" Moderates wished they didn't have to cater to.

For many years there has been a tug of war for the soul of the Republican Party, between the Christians who wanted the Party to focus on Biblical issues and the Moderates who wanted the Party to focus more on social and economic issues.

My prediction is that with this election, the secular Moderates will win this tug of war by pointing out (correctly I'm sorry to say) that the vast majority of voters will be more likely to support the
Republican Party if their agenda instead of the Christian agenda is focused on.

Therefore, my advice, which I know will shock and dismay many, is to stop wasting precious time, talent and resources on the Republican Party. Leave gracefully, before the Moderates throw you out. Wish them well, and turn your attention to the more pressing work of
re-building your own churches and communities from the ground up, because that's what is needed.

The sad fact is that the Church in America is a mile wide and an inch deep. You can see that in the fact that almost half of American Christians (and 78% of American Jews BTW) just voted for the most unapologetically "anti-God" candidate ever.

For far too long, it has been possible to be a lukewarm Christian in America. The one good thing about this election is that this will no longer be an option. There is coming a time of
tremendous persecution on the church in America, and as much as it pains me to say this, that might be exactly what the church needs. It will be a time when the wheat will be separated from the chaff and people will have to make a choice to either get serious or get out.

This persecution will come in the form, at first, of a revolution in popular culture that will embrace the idea that Mankind is destined to unite in peace and brotherhood, under the aegis of Secular Humanism, Science, Socialism and Progress.

The governments of the world will take advantage of the chaos and confusion caused by this financial crisis to push through further integration of the world’s economic and political systems.

There will be only two really big roadblocks in the way of this plan: The Bible Believing Church, and the Nation of Israel.

Read America must decrease so the Kingdom of God can increase in its entirety

Obama Elected; Hamas Confident.

November 5, 2008 - Something to consider...Earlier this morning, Hamas started raining down massive Kassam fire on southern Israel, violating prior truce agreements. Ironically, the attack commenced shortly after Obama's victory in the presidential election became evident. Coincidence?

Given the fact that tensions between Israel and Hamas were relatively quiet up until this point, I wonder, does anyone else think Hamas is just one of many radical Islamist factions who just may feel a sudden boost of "confidence" in the knowledge that US President-Elect Barack Obama might not rank as high on the "infidel meter" as his predecessors?

SOURCE

"JESSE JACKSON: Under Obama 'decades of putting Israel's interests first' would end..."

October 14, 2008 - "PREPARE for a new America: That's the message that the Rev. Jesse Jackson conveyed to participants in the first World Policy Forum, held at this French lakeside resort last week.

He promised "fundamental changes" in US foreign policy - saying America must "heal wounds" it has caused to other nations, revive its alliances and apologize for the "arrogance of the Bush administration."

The most important change would occur in the Middle East, where "decades of putting Israel's interests first" would end.

Jackson believes that, although "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" remain strong, they'll lose a great deal of their clout when Barack Obama enters the White House.

"Obama is about change," Jackson told me in a wide-ranging conversation. "And the change that Obama promises is not limited to what we do in America itself. It is a change of the way America looks at the world and its place in it."

Jackson warns that he isn't an Obama confidant or adviser, "just a supporter." But he adds that Obama has been "a neighbor or, better still, a member of the family." Jackson's son has been a close friend of Obama for years, and Jackson's daughter went to school with Obama's wife Michelle.

"We helped him start his career," says Jackson. "And then we were always there to help him move ahead. He is the continuation of our struggle for justice not only for the black people but also for all those who have been wronged."

Will Obama's election close the chapter of black grievances linked to memories of slavery? The reverend takes a deep breath and waits a long time before responding.

"No, that chapter won't be closed," he says. "However, Obama's victory will be a huge step in the direction we have wanted America to take for decades."

Jackson rejects any suggestion that Obama was influenced by Marxist ideas in his youth. "I see no evidence of that," he says. "Obama's thirst for justice and equality is rooted in his black culture."

But is Obama - who's not a descendant of slaves - truly a typical American black?

Jackson emphatically answers yes: "You don't need to be a descendant of slaves to experience the oppression, the suffocating injustice and the ugly racism that exists in our society," he says. "Obama experienced the same environment as all American blacks did. It was nonsense to suggest that he was somehow not black enough to feel the pain."

Is Jackson worried about the "Bradley effect" - that people may be telling pollsters they favor the black candidate, but won't end up voting for him?

"I don't think this is how things will turn out," he says. "We have a collapsing economy and a war that we have lost in Iraq. In Afghanistan, we face a resurgent Taliban. New threats are looming in Pakistan. Our liberties have been trampled under feet . . . Today, most Americans want change, and know that only Barack can deliver what they want. Young Americans are especially determined to make sure that Obama wins."

He sees a broad public loss of confidence in the nation's institutions: "We have lost confidence in our president, our Congress, our banking system, our Wall Street and our legal system to protect our individual freedoms. . . I don't see how we could regain confidence in all those institutions without a radical change of direction."

Jackson declines to be more concrete about possible policy changes. After all, he insists, he isn't part of Obama's policy team. Yet he clearly hopes that his views, reflecting the position of many Democrats, would be reflected in the policies of an Obama administration.

On the economic front, he hopes for "major changes in our trading policy."

"We cannot continue with the open-door policy," he says. "We need to protect our manufacturing industry against unfair competition that destroys American jobs and creates ill-paid jobs abroad."

Would that mean an abrogation of the NAFTA treaty with Canada and Mexico?

Jackson dismisses the question as "premature": "We could do a great deal without such dramatic action."

His most surprising position concerns Iraq. He passionately denounces the toppling of Saddam Hussein as "an illegal and unjust act." But he's now sure that the United States "will have to remain in Iraq for a very long time."

What of Obama's promise to withdraw by 2010? Jackson believes that position will have to evolve, reflecting "realities on the ground."

"We should work with our allies in Iraq to consolidate democratic institutions there," he says. "We must help the people of Iraq decide and shape their future in accordance with their own culture and faith."

On Iran, he strongly supports Obama's idea of opening a direct dialogue with the leadership in Tehran. "We've got to talk to tell them what we want and hear what they want," Jackson says. "Nothing is gained by not talking to others."

Would that mean ignoring the four UN Security Council resolutions that demand an end to Iran's uranium-enrichment program? Jackson says direct talks wouldn't start without preparations.

"Barack wants an aggressive and dynamic diplomacy," he says. "He also wants adequate preparatory work. We must enter the talks after the ground has been prepared," he says.

Jackson is especially critical of President Bush's approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"Bush was so afraid of a snafu and of upsetting Israel that he gave the whole thing a miss," Jackson says. "Barack will change that," because, as long as the Palestinians haven't seen justice, the Middle East will "remain a source of danger to us all."

"Barack is determined to repair our relations with the world of Islam and Muslims," Jackson says. "Thanks to his background and ecumenical approach, he knows how Muslims feel while remaining committed to his own faith."

Source:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10142008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/the_o_jesse_knows_133450.htm?page=0

CAIR Asks FEC to Probe Anti-Muslim DVDs Distributed By Israeli Group To Swing States

September 24, 2008 - "WASHINGTON, DC - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today announced that it has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over the distribution of an anti-Muslim film to 28 million homes in presidential election swing states.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging the FEC to investigate whether the Clarion Fund, a non-profit organization that distributed DVDs containing "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West," is really a front for an Israel-based group seeking to help Sen. John McCain win the U.S. presidential election. (No information about a board of directors, staff or even a physical address is offered on the fund's website.)

In its complaint to the FEC, CAIR wrote in part:

"The Clarion Fund recently financed the distribution of some 28 million DVDs containing the film 'Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West' in what many political analysts describe as 'swing' states in the upcoming presidential elections. Those same analysts say the distribution of the 'Obsession' DVD was designed to benefit a particular presidential candidate, namely Sen. John McCain...

"According to the website for the Secretary of State for New York, Clarion Fund Inc. is incorporated in New York as a Delaware-based foreign not-for-profit corporation. According to the Delaware Department of Corporations, Robert (Rabbi Raphael) Shore, Rabbi Henry Harris and Rebecca Kabat incorporated Clarion Fund. All three of whom are reported to serve as employees of Aish HaTorah International, an organization apparently based in Israel. Also according to the Delaware Department of Corporations, the incorporators of the Clarion Fund used Aish HaTorah's New York City address (150 West 46th Street, New York) to incorporate Clarion Fund in Delaware... [SEE: http://www.aish.com/aishint/wwprogram.asp]

"It appears that the funding for the production, marketing and distribution of 'Obsession' may have originated from Israel-based Aish HaTorah International." [...]

"American voters deserve to know whether they are the targets of a multi-million-dollar campaign funded and directed by a foreign group seeking to whip up anti-Muslim hysteria as a way to influence the outcome of our presidential election," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad....

American voters also deserve to know whether they are the targets of a campaign, multimillion-dollar or no, funded and directed by Islamic supremacists to mislead and deceive them about Islamic jihad terrorism as a way to influence the outcome of our presidential election, and to influence much more besides."

Source: http://www.israelenews.com/view.asp?ID=3189

CAIR files FEC complaint: "Obsession" movie distribution a Zionist plot

September 24, 2008 - "Despite the fact that the film Obsession contains no political content and was made well before the 2008 election cycle began, CAIR, those paragons of Islamic moderation and honesty, would now have you believe that the national distribution of the DVD was an Israeli plot to elect John McCain.

This is a very revealing action for CAIR to take. It reveals in particular two key aspects of CAIR's mindset:

1. It shows that CAIR is fully aware that the jihad against Israel is an integral part of the global jihad, and is not just a struggle to recover Palestinian "stolen land." Thus a film that reveals the nature and goals of that global jihad -- Obsession -- benefits Israel.

2. It also shows that CAIR believes that John McCain will fight against the global jihad in a way that Barack Obama will not -- and that it believes therefore the distribution of an anti-jihad film, which in a sane world would be welcomed by both the Left and the Right since the global jihad wishes to destroy and remake the West utterly, must be some partisan plot.

It further shows CAIR yet again on the wrong side of the jihad, as they are again and again. The Flying Imams threaten the ability of airline passengers to report suspicious behavior without getting harassed legally, and CAIR is right there. Sami Al-Arian for years bamboozles the Left into thinking he is a gallant freedom fighter for the Palestinians without the shadow of a hint of support for terrorism, and CAIR backs him all the way. The Patriot Act? CAIR was against it -- and not just the legitimately questionable parts, either. Has CAIR ever sponsored a single anti-terror initiative that would actually make it easier for law enforcement to identify and apprehend jihad terrorists? Nope.

Yet this shady group still enjoys mainstream media support, and is routinely depicted as a neutral "civil rights" organization."

S0urce: http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/022817.php

The "Blondi Goes Around the World" Campaign

August 6, 2008 - I received this earlier today via email and, I must say, it is one of the most touching situations I've had the honor to ever encounter. I ask that you please consider getting behind the request made in the following video clip. Please know that you will be comforting and blessing a very special family in Israel in a way that is beyond description. Please watch the following video clip very carefully.

Dear Sir,

I ask you to help me with "Blondi goes around the world" campaign, Please watch this You Tube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzS3G2pZ7MI

See the campaign home page: http://www.blondi.co.il/bwt2008/index.html
Please help to forward and distribute to CSWI community.
Thanks in advance

Yossi Zur, Blondi's father

Haifa, Israel
054-424-8912
Asaf's (Blondi) memorial web site: www.Blondi.co.il

Dr. Mordechai Kedar takes on Al Jezeera News Anchor Regarding Undivided Jerusalem

June 13, 2008 - I'm sorry folks, but this little "duel" wasn't even close. In this clip, Dr. Mordechai, a lecturer from the Department of Arabic Studies at Bar-elan University, completely debunks every piece of propaganda thrown at him by the Al Jezeera news host and, in so doing, provides the underlying premise behind the Arab-Israeli conflict: the Arab unwillingness to accept Jerusalem as the indivisible capital of the Jewish people as it has been for 3,000 years.

Note the subsequent and immediate hostility towards Dr. Mordechai and his position, the Arab insistence that Islam and the Koran not be insulted, and, most importantly, Dr. Mordechai's stifling response.

Courtesy of OneJerusalem.com